Five questions for David Perrett

The author of In Your Face discusses his favourite subject, one he has specialised in for several decades now - our visages

What's in a face? David Perrett answers our questions( Agencja/ Alamy) What makes a face attractive?
Things like symmetry and averageness are important, not to be too weird and
wacky, not too far from the population average, which in the extreme might
mean an unusual genetic basis. We know that youth is attractive for the
adult age group, and that sex differences play a role — amplifying the
feminine side of faces makes them more attractive. But the health of a
partner is also of paramount importance to choice. That realisation came
quite late in the day to people who work on attractiveness. We’re very
sensitive to changes in the status of blood, whether it’s oxygenated or
slightly less oxygenated, which can tell us if somebody’s in good health. It
was a surprise just how sensitive we are. The fruit and vegetables we eat
have pigments that end up in our skin and can impart a healthy appearance to
us.